My Philosophy of Life

I believe that the single most important thing we can
do in life is to serve the purpose for which we were created. This is my
philosophy of life. Please allow me to explain why this must be true, and what
this means for us in practical terms. I hope that what I’ve written is not
offensive to you, and that if it is you will forgive me. My intentions are to
put to paper what I am constantly obsessed with.

I believe that a sad commentary on the arrogance of society
today is that we believe that most, if not all, things can be proven, and that
we have the capability of understanding these things. Since the beginning of
history as we know it we have tried desperately to figure everything out, from
understanding the ‘building blocks’ of the life to comprehending the vast extent
and shape of the universe. We’ve studied and sought to come up with theories on
how time started, how life began, how it has progressed, how it is sustained,
and where it is headed. Our best and most brilliant minds have studied these
topics and in them we have placed our trust. The problem in all of this is that
there is almost nothing we can prove with absolute certainty. In the grand
scheme of things we are so small, and our ‘wisdom’ amounts to little more than
educated guessing based upon heaps of assumptions. I know that sounds harsh, but
we would find it impossible to live without assumptions. We have all observed
patterns in life and we all base our lives on assumptions that these patterns
will continue. I assume that when I handed you this letter, you will accept it,
and I hope that you read it! I don’t know if this is what will happen, but time
will tell. We assume that when we eat we will be full. We assume that when we go
to sleep, we will wake up. We assume that when we breathe oxygen will enter into
our lungs and go through our bloodstream feeding our muscles and allowing us to
move freely and continue on with life. We observe these patterns, directly or
indirectly, and live our lives accordingly. The problem with all of this is that
these assumptions will probably not always be true. Anyone of us could go to
sleep tonight and not wake up tomorrow. I could swallow a bite of food which
gets lodged into my throat and causes me to choke, with the food never reaching
its desired destination. Any of us could take a breath only to have our heart
stop, ending the flow of oxygen rich blood to oxygen deprived muscles. Our lives
are out of our hands. We are not in control. We don’t know what tomorrow will
bring. We don’t even know what is going on today. I don’t mean to be dark, but
we can’t really learn until we embrace how much we cannot know. The beliefs we
all hold and the choices we all make are crafted out of assumptions we’ve built
based upon what our very finite minds have observed and can comprehend.

A simple proof for this is as follows:

There are theories out there that cannot be disproven
with absolute certainty (You are dreaming right now)

These theories can interfere with rational assumptions
based upon credible evidence and observation (This would fly in the face
of your belief that you are awake)

However, since these theories cannot be proven false
with 100% confidence, we cannot have 100% confidence in any assumptions we
make based upon credible evidence (Since you cannot know for certain
this is not a dream, you cannot know for certain that you are awake. In
other words, we can’t even tell the difference between illusion and reality.
It all looks the same to us!)

We can take the absurdity of this to another level in a
different example to prove the point:

Invisible flying monkeys, which operate on a different
dimension of life that we cannot have any awareness of on any level, created
life, sustain it, and harvest our souls to send to send to an octopus who
lives in a black hole a few galaxies around the corner from us. This octopus
will weigh our good and bad deeds against one another after we die and if we
are good enough we are sent back to earth in a new body as an elevated
being- perhaps becoming a monkey ourselves. If we are judged as bad, we
could be eaten or sent back to earth as a lowly being.

This interferes with all evidence of evolution and
creationism. If this were the case, evolution and creationism both would be
invalid as we commonly understand them. We would be neither the product of
Science, nor of God, but of these mythical creatures.

We cannot disprove the theory of the flying monkey
creators, therefore we cannot know with absolute certainty whether evolution
or creationism are true.

The sad thing is that there are cultures in tribes across
Papua New Guinea that believe myths not far off from the flying monkey scenario.
This is called Animism. If we were omniscient we would know all things and
would’ve have to worry about any of this. In fact, this is the only way we could
have any real ‘proof’. We would then know the exact course of life and we would
know that all alternatives are wrong and therefore we can discard them. But no
matter how much evidence we gather, since we have finite human minds and senses,
we cannot prove this belief system to be wrong. What I am saying here is that
reason, logic, and evidence only take us so far. Faith that our assumptions are
valid and based upon credible evidence is absolutely necessary. Using this
introduction as proof that faith, at least to some degree, is a necessity, let’s
take a look at what I believe to be the single most compelling evidence as to
why there must be a Creator.

One scientific law is far greater than the rest, and allows
all logic and reason to be possible. This is the Law of Cause and Effect. For
every effect, there is some cause behind it. Ripples don’t grace the surface of
water without cause. A pebble, wind, or some other force must be in effect that
results in this effect. Gravity causes apples to fall, waves to crash, and holds
and binds all of our earth together, making life possible. Yet even gravity
itself is an effect. It is an effect of the earths mass taken together in
conjunction with all other mass in existence coupled with speed and rotation
which set gravity at approximately 9.8 meters per second squared for objects
near the surface of the earth. And yet, scientific laws that are set in order
dictate that gravity behaves in such a manner. Newton’s Theory of Universal
Gravitation states that the gravitational force is equal to the Gravitational
Constant * (mass of object 1 * mass of object 2) / (radius between the two
objects) ^ 2. Yet when you throw this law into space and combine with theories
of relativity we have observed, masses we have never observed moving at speeds
we have never recorded and vectors unknown, it all amounts to the conclusion
that we have no idea what in the crap we’re talking about in the first place.
Yet we’re so set on trying to figure all this out and how we can apply it that
we miss the very underlying principle that gives meaning to any of this. What is
the cause behind all these laws? What set them in motion? We can explain how
aerodynamics allow a butterfly to fly, but we can’t explain why. Who created the
rules? Where did time come from and why? What set the stars in place and aflame,
and why? What is the cause behind our very existence? Science is utterly devoid
of an answer here, and even if it held some semblance of an answer we couldn’t
even know for sure it was true. There is no such thing as randomness. Every
single thing happens for a reason. The wind moves in apparent randomness and yet
all it is is nature correcting an imbalance of pressure along the earth’s
surface. In our ignorance we classify it as random, when in reality there is
absolutely zero randomness in where the wind comes from or where it goes. It has
no other option than to go where it must to equalize pressure. The same is true
with all of nature. Why does genetic information behave the way it does when it
replicates into DNA for an infant in the womb? We don’t know, so in our
ignorance we classify mutations as ‘random’, and have taken liberties with this
lack of understanding to build a theory of best guesses that absolves
responsibility for human action and resulting consequences thereof. We don’t
know how time originated, yet so we have taken liberties with expanding it as
far back as possible, giving an infinite amount of chances for the improbable
mutations to occur, perhaps even throwing parallel universes in (after all, we
cannot prove they don’t exist) to give life a chance to appear and evolve to the
intricate state it is at in the world today. Our feeble evidence and lack of
understanding, ignorance, presuppositions, and assumptions are all we have to go
off of, so we have crafted a convenient theory or two of our own that fits what
we want to believe and have called it science. All who oppose are merely
clinging to this antiquated thing called ‘faith’, which is an adversary of
rational thinking and logic. This is what we have done to ourselves, and it has
given us the freedom to justify anything we do with the reason that we are not
accountable to anything or anyone for our actions. I can’t say for certain this
was intentional on our part, but it sure is convenient and evidences an
unimaginable amount of ignorance and arrogance.

For the chain of Cause and Effect to exist, and
subsequently for science to make any sense at all, there must be an uncaused
cause that operates outside the bounds of the parameters of what we have
experienced as scientific ‘Law’ here on earth. For instance, since time as we
have always observed is always in forward motion, there must have been a point
at which it was set in motion. Even those that subscribe to the idea that this
is all one cosmic loop have to agree that the loop itself is an effect set into
motion by some lawbreaking cause. The Law of Cause and Effect mandates an
uncaused Creator. The problem we face now is coming to any kind of rational
understanding of what this Creator is or looks like. Once again, we still face
an infinite number of theories which cannot be disproven but still invalidate
theories based upon our best observations. Let’s examine the evidence, and make
the most rational assumptions we can! Please allow me the liberty of calling the
Creator God.

The Universe is a vast expanse. God must be massive.

And yet it contains intricate complex detail. God must
have wisdom beyond description to craft all of this.

The world contains majestic beauty that takes our
breath away. God must be breathtakingly beautiful.

It also harbors terrors of the deep that have the
ability to crush us. God must be incredibly powerful.

Mankind has done some pretty awful things. God must be
awfully forgiving.

God must have some sense of love for allowing us to
experience the beauty of life.

And a sense of justice for allowing us to suffer from
the evil- most of which we have brought on ourselves.

Yet God must care about us, for He has provided us
with resources to sustain ourselves in life. (You ever think of what would
happen if the earth was going a little faster or slowly in its orbit around
the sun or in its rotation? We would be toast! It is enough to make your
head spin- literally!!!)

The list could go on, and I confess that these points are
assumptions made based upon evidence that a cynical or bitter person (who
probably tries to call themself a ‘realist’) would interpret in an entirely
different manner. That’s fine. That’s faith in a different God based upon
assumptions gathered from their life experience and observations. I believe the
evidence points to an entirely different picture of God. Particularly when Jesus
Christ, recorded by historians to have walked the earth a couple millennia ago,
is taken into consideration. Consider the words of Josephus, a Jew, and not a
Christian, writing from Rome sometime around turn of the first century, AD.

"Now, there was about this
time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of
wonderful works- a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He
drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the]
Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of principal men amongst us, had
condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake
him, for he appeared to them alive again on the third day, as the divine
prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning
him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct to this
day" (18.3.3).

And this is just one of many references made concerning
Jesus that point to His death, resurrection, ministry, and message as given to
us in the Gospels. I actually encountered this passage in a secular textbook
used as curriculum at the University of Kansas, where they actually omitted any
reference to the deity of Jesus, His death at the hands of the Jews (‘principle
men amongst us’) , His resurrection, and His miracles. There was no stated
reason why these portions were taken away (or altered, in one case!), but then
the following section espoused the ‘facts’ that Jesus was crucified by the
Romans and a myth was rampant that he had raised from the dead, but that He
probably was nothing more than a wise teacher who never claimed to be God. This
in the curriculum of a public school receiving funds from the government, one
that parades the idea of ‘separation of church and state’! How convenient,
right? It is a religious viewpoint to believe the Bible is God’s Word, that
Jesus died, rose again- that we may have life, but to state the contrary is not?
This is a sad commentary of how certain assumptions have infiltrated our school
system and threaten our very right to think freely.

The evidence for Christ’s deity and the validity of the
Gospels stretches on. Evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls suggest that portions
of the book of John were written before 50 AD. The book of John is widely
considered the last Gospel written. The disciples, scribes, and witnesses were
around when those Gospels were written. They are accurate depictions written by
humans who either directly observed and experienced the ministry of Jesus, or
had access to those that did and scribes that had recorded His words verbatim.
In fact, they were so convinced early on in the deity and message of Christ that
when mass persecution arose merely a few years after Christ left the earth that
they were more willing to part with their lives than this belief. James, Jesus’
own brother, was among such believers. Of all people, a brother would be
skeptical of his brother making a claim to be God! Something happened back then
that was of an immense magnitude- enough to completely alter the course of all
humanity. One life, one death, and one message, has irrevocably impacted the
course of history in an unprecedented manner that never has occurred and will
never occur again.

All of this to say that while each is entitled to their own
belief regarding Christ, there is ample evidence out there to fully support the
validity of the scriptures.

Let’s turn back to philosophy for a moment. No decision
ever made by any human being has ever been random. Every action is the result of
an internal system of assumptions and beliefs. No one has ever done anything ‘on
accident’. While the resulting consequences may not be the desired ones, the
actions are always deliberate. For example, I could get into a car accident, but
the actions that led to the wreck were certainly deliberate. I meant to turn
left, but had no idea of the oncoming truck in the left lane. For the school
instructor this may look a bit different: while kids may ‘accidentally’ hit one
another, they certainly weren’t ‘accidentally’ throwing punches, right? We don’t
‘accidentally’ lie, cheat, steal, or behave in such a manner that promotes our
own well-being over the well-being of those around us. These are all deliberate
actions, and we are all deliberately guilty as charged. If this wasn’t bad
enough, we aren’t judged according to human standards (a lie results in a slap
on the wrist), rather according to the purposes set down for us by our Creator
God. God had some ‘effect’ in mind for us when He created us, there is some
reason we were ‘caused’. The problem that we have is that our evil is certainly
contrary to this effect, and therefore we are fully at God’s mercy and held to
the standard by which we were created. This is as anything we create, or even
own, on earth is at our mercy. Once it stops brining us benefit it is due for
the wastebasket. The clay pot fired improperly that has cracks is good for
little more than to be broken. Thankfully for us, in God’s mercy and according
to trustworthy historical scriptures that have been faithfully transcribed and
handed down to us by scribes, God is forgiving and asks that we turn to Him for
forgiveness. His wrath for our failures- which must exist- was fully poured out
on His Son, Jesus, on our behalf, and for our sake, that all we must do is turn
to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. God knows we are fallen creatures,
prone to much sin- and even in one sin we are exposed as fallible and broken-
and therefore what He asks of us is that we simply turn to Him and accept His
forgiveness.

I don’t mean to over-simplify the issue here. A simple
prayer alone without meaningful repentance or motivation towards pleasing God
will not suffice. God knows our hearts and judges us accordingly. True
repentance from our sins- our failure as humans to live lives worthy of the One
who created us- will always result in a change of heart, change in ways, and an
overflow of gratitude to live life in such a way as to bring honor to God.
Scripture minces no words in the cost of becoming a Christian, saying that we
are to ‘take up our crosses’ as Christ did. The idea here is that once we have
been touched by God’s forgiveness we are never the same and our lives reflect a
change inside that God Himself has initiated and sustains. I could write page
after page of how much God has changed my heart and means so much to me
personally, but I gather that this testimony is cheapened in light of the so
many other ‘religions’ that claim to contain the same type of inner healing,
joy, love, and peace that I know.

I believe that the
single most important thing we can do in life is to serve the purpose for which
we were created. This purpose is to bring God glory by allowing Him to
demonstrate His mercy in my life when I fall, my devotion and thankfulness for
his forgiveness by how I live my life, and His love in my life by my love
towards others. God is glorified either by this or in His justice in allowing
those who reject Him to be eternally separated from Him and suffer the
consequences of doing so. My prayer and hope for you is that you can see the
former ambition in me, and that this would stir you to seriously consider the
compassionate and loving Creator God as described by scripture as Jesus Christ
as worthy of your life.